US3578047A

US3578047A - Reciprocating nut sheller

Info

Publication number: US3578047A
Application number: US806792A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bernard W Diggs
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-03-13
Filing date: 1969-03-13
Publication date: 1971-05-11
Anticipated expiration: 1988-05-11

Abstract

A swingably movable handle, functioning as a second order lever, is connected to actuate the reciprocable jaw of a piston-type nut sheller through a swingably movable connecting rod releasably latched to the handle. The connection is selectively effected by the seating of a latch pin mounted on the handle into one of a plurality of linearly spaced notches disposed along the underside of the connecting rod, to thereby alter the position of the reciprocable path of the movable jaw as may be required to shell nuts differing in size, the continued connection of the handle to the connecting rod as the handle is swung in either direction being assured by a distinctive configuration of the notches.

Description

United States Patent Primary ExaminerWillie G. Abercrombie Att0rneyRalph R. Pittman ABSTRACT: A swingably movable handle, functioning as a second order lever, is connected to actuate the reciprocable jaw of a piston-type nut sheller through a swingably movable connecting rod releasably latched to the handle. The connection is selectively effected by the seating of a latch pin mounted on the handle into one of a plurality of linearly spaced notches disposed along the underside of the connecting rod, to thereby alter the position of the reciprocable path of the movable jaw as may be required to shell nuts differing in size, the continued connection of the handle to the connecting rod as the handle is swung in either direction being assured by a distinctive configuration of the notches.

RECIPROCATING NUT SHELLER PRIOR ART Reciprocating nut shellers or nutcrackers, to which this invention generally relates, are the subject of a numberof prior art disclosures. Several of the concepts described include toothed racks cooperating'with pinions or levered-dogs as a part of the driving mechanism actuated by a swingable handle for crushing the shell of a nut. Those mechanisms capable of processing nuts varying in diameter are morev complex than simple, with a construction cost directly related to the complexity of concept, andnone suggesta simple structure embodying adriving handle connected to a driven outwardly projecting connecting rod, each of which is independently manipulatable about a pivotal mounting.

BACKGROUND OF THE INV ENTION The most important consideration for simplifying the structure of reciprocable nut shellers is theprovision of a simple and effective driving connection between the handle and the reciprocable jaw, and the provision of such a mechanism is the principal object of the invention.

The invention further contemplates an improved mechanism (a) in which the shellcracking movable jaw moves in a horizontal path in response to a substantially vertical coplanar movement of the handle; (b) a construction in which the connecting rod between the handle andthe movable jaw is releasably latched to the handle for quickly selecting that one of several available paths traversable by the movable jaw for adjusting the sheller for use with differing sizes of'nuts; (c) having a relationship between the movable components in which the mechanical advantage is such that a small pressure on the handle can subject the-movable jaw to a relatively large nut cracking pressure; and (d) utilizing portions of otherwise useful movable components as stops for maintaining the several movable components in an assembled structure, while not interfering with those movements essential to the proper operation of the device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The preferred embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of the rearward end;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of the guiding cylinder;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the lower end of the operatin handle; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section of the forward end of the movable jaw.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the fixed jaw or anvil 16 and the hollow guide cylinder are rigidly secured in longitudinal spaced relationship to the elongate base 10, the fixed jaw 16 being mounted at the forward end of the base, and the cylinder extends along an intermediate portion of the base. An integral portion 33 of the base is rearwardly projected, and at its outer end provided with the transversely extending opening 27.

As may be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, an operating handle, including the outer handhold II, the intermediate portion 12, an enlarged coextensive portion 13, and. the lower bent and bifurcated portion 34, is disposed with the latter portion straddling the. base projection 33 and being swingably secured at its lower end thereto by the pivot pin 20, extending through the transverse openings 26, and retained'therein by the cooperating clip fastener 21.

The movable jaw or piston 17 is slip-fitted for guided slidable' and reciprocable movement coaxially with the guide cylinder 15 toward and away from the fixed jaw 16. The normally horizontally disposed connecting rod 14 has its forward end position between a pair of transversely spaced, parallel projections extending rearwardly from the movable jaw, and is pivotally secured thereto by means of the pivot pin 24 inthe openings 18, with its retainer clip 23, and projects from its pivotal connection, rearwardly and coaxially with the piston 17, above the pivot pin 20 and through the space 29 of the bifurcated portion 34 at the lower end of the manipulating handle. The free outer end of the connecting rod is formed with an upwardly directed recess or fingerhold 28, for use in raising and lowering the end of the rod as it swings in a vertical plane about the pivot 24.

At an elevation above and adjacent to the pivoted end of the handle a pair of aligned openings 25 extend transversely through the bifurcated portion 34 of the handle, and a driving latch pin 19 extends through the openings 25 and across the space 29, being rigidly retained in place by the clip fastener 22. The latch pin is disposed in the path through which the connecting rod 14 is swingable, and a plurality of linearly spaced notches or latching recesses 30 formed in the intermediate portion of the connecting rod between the fingerhold and its pivoted end, the notches being directed upwardly into the connecting rod from its lower surface, each of the notches being rearwardly undercut and thereby enlarged at the respective inner ends and adapted to seat over the latch pin inslip-frt engagement.

The manipulating handle is illustrated in a position intermediate its respective swingable limits, the maximum downward and forwardmotion being limited by the interposition of the rear end of the cylinder 15 in the path of movement of the enlarged handle portion 13, and the upward and rearward motion being limited by the engagement of the upper surface of the connecting rod 14 with the bight of the bifurcated portion 34.

The space 29 between the legs of the lower portion 34 of the handle, when the handle is in the maximum downward'position, is made sufficient to permit the connecting rod to be unlatched and released from the latch pin 19 regardless of the position of the notch with which it may be engaged.

In operation, the handleis moved to the downward position, the outer end of the connecting rod 14 raised to'release the rod from the driving or latch pin, and the rod and connected movable jaw moved to a latched position appropriate for the kind of nuts to be shelled. The handle is then swung forward until the end portions of the nut are nested in the nut-receiving

recesses

31 and 32, following which a continued downward movement of the handle fractures the shell of the nut without crushing the nutmeat. Once the appropriate latching of the handle is accomplished, no further adjustments need be made until nuts of a differing size require shelling.

It may be noted that the handle functions with the reciprocable members of the sheller as a second orderlever, the driving or latch pin being interposed between the pivot pin of the handle and its outer end. A favorable mechanical advantage is realized by the construction illustrated, in which the distance between the pivot pin and latch pin is small relative to the length of the handle, one satisfactory combination having a pivot-drive coupling of about five-eights inch with a notch spacing along the connecting rod of about three-eighths inch.

What I claim as my'invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

lclaim:

I. In a hand operated nut sheller having an elongate base, a fixed nut-receiving jaw rigidly secured at the forward end of said base, a hollow cylinder'rigidly securednear the rearward end of said base and extending therealong in opposed, spaced relation to said jaw, a shellcracking piston slidable in said cylinder through a reciprocable movement alternately toward and away from said fixed jaw, a swingably movable handle pivotally fulcrumed at one end to said base at a position rearwardly'of and in longitudinally spaced relationship with said piston, and connecting means joining the rearward end of said piston to said handle for effecting said reciprocable movement of said piston in response to apredetermined swingable movement of said handle, said connecting means comprising a longitudinally extending connecting rod pivotally secured at its forward end to said piston and swingable thereabout in.a vertical plane between a lower latching position and an upper unreceiving recesses to releasably latch said connecting rod to said handle, the improvement wherein each of said recesses in the intermediate portion of said connecting rod is undercut from its upper extremity to form a rearwardly directed opening registrable with said latch pin, and the end portion of said connecting rod projecting rearwardly from said intermediate portion is a fingerhold for manipulating said connecting rod.

Claims

1. In a hand operated nut sheller having an elongate base, a fixed nut-receiving jaw rigidly secured at the forward end of said base, a hollow cylinder rigidly secured near the rearward end of said base and extending therealong in opposed spaced relation to said jaw, a shellcracking piston slidable in said cylinder through a reciprocable movement alternately toward and away from said fixed jaw, a swingably movable handle pivotally fulcrumed at one end to said base at a position rearwardly of and in longitudinally spaced relationship with said piston, and connecting means joining the rearward end of said piston to said handle for effecting said reciprocable movement of said piston in response to a predetermined swingable movement of said handle, said connecting means comprising a longitudinally extending connecting rod pivotally secured at its forward end to said piston and swingable thereabout in a vertical plane between a lower latching position and an upper unlatching position, said connecting rod having an intermediate portion extending rearwardly along and beyond said handle, a plurality of linearly spaced recesses directed upwardly into the intermediate portion of said connecting rod from the lower surface thereof and extending transversely thereacross, and a transversely extending latch pin rigidly secured to said handle above the fulcrumed end and movable therewith to engagement with and disengagement from any one of said latch-receiving recesses to releasably latch said connecting rod to said handle, the improvement wherein each of said recesses in the intermediate portion of said connecting rod is undercut from its upper extremity to form a rearwardly directed opening registrable with said latch pin, and the end portion of said connecting rod projecting rearwardly from said intermediate portion is a fingerhold for manipulating said connecting rod.